Diversity and Colonization Strategies of Endolithic Cyanobacteria in the Cold Mountain Desert of Pamir

Endolithic microbial communities in the cold mountain desert of Tajik National Park (Mountains of the Pamirs) exhibit complex interactions influenced by microhabitat architecture and microenvironmental conditions. Dominated by Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Cyanobacteria—particularly Oxyphotobacteria subclasses like Oscillatoriophycidae, Synechococcophycideae, and Nostocophycidae—the study reveals a positive correlation between Synechococcales (Cyanobacteria) and Rhizobiales (Proteobacteria), suggesting functional complementarity, such as nitrogen fixation. These findings were derived from scanning electron microscopy (SEM-BSE) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the 16S rRNA gene's V3-V4 region, highlighting the adaptive strategies of microorganisms in extreme environments.

Khomutovska, N., de los Ríos, A., & Jasser, I. (2020). Diversity and Colonization Strategies of Endolithic Cyanobacteria in the Cold Mountain Desert of Pamir. Microorganisms, 9(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9010006